Hollister CA.- Airport Mgr and Advisory Commission at Odds Over Plan

Airport Manager Bill Gere’s plans for the Hollister Municipal Airport have drawn some sharp criticism, but Gere defended his proposed layout plan Friday. Gere presented the council with the new layout Monday, but some airport users complained that the plan left out a new California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection air-attack base, as well as facilities for gliders. Kollin Kosmicki 12/21/07 Need to make clear higher that it was after the advisory recommendation

“Every issue brought up had been brought up in the past,” Gere said.

Many of those speaking out against the plan are protecting “specific, selfish interests,” he added, rather than focusing on the welfare of the airport or the city as a whole.

Three members of the Hollister Airport Advisory Commission – Douglas Hooten, Fred Meyer and Allen Ritter – said the document had been changed since the commission recommended it for approval.

“The layout plan presented to the city council was different from the one presented to the airport commission, and that’s a problem,” City Manager Clint Quilter said Friday.

The council did not vote on the plan, and instead called for a special airport commission meeting to iron out the differences between the commission-approved layout and the one brought to the council. That meeting has been scheduled for Jan. 3, Gere said.

Specifically, the commission-approved plan included a new air-attack base, while the proposed plan left that area open for development to be determined by a “request for proposal.”

Ritter said Friday he also wants to see a glider facility back on the plans.